Disclosed is a novelty product that combines chemiluminescent and LED lighting elements. While the novelty product can be of most any shape and size, for ease of discussion a single non-limiting but fully illustrative embodiment will be disclosed and directed to a novelty product that has the appearance of a “ghost.”
In the disclosed embodiment of a ghost, the chemiluminescent lighting element described herein is used to provide a glow to create a supernatural type of effect. By way of background, the idea of ghosts as disembodied human spirits is iconic in popular western culture. In movies and other entertainment media, “ghosts” are depicted in numerous ways. For example, they can be shown as eerily translucent human figures, or a glowing amorphous mass. Children's entertainment often includes non-threatening “ghost” characters, the most famous of which is Casper the Friendly Ghost®.
“Ghost” characters have visual appeal to children because they have bulbous bodies reminiscent of soft toys and large friendly features. This is true for similar such products such as a snowman, dough boy, and the like.
Various forms of chemiluminescent elements are well known in the art, and a preferred albeit non-limiting type of chemiluminescent device is described in detail in Assignee's related U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,572, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Generally speaking a chemiluminescent device involves two compartments or chambers, each containing a chemiluminescent reaction component, e.g. one containing an oxalate solution, and the other containing an activator solution. The chambers keep the reactants separated until the time of activation, whereupon the two chemicals are permitted to mix and the reaction creates the chemiluminescent light.
Thus, the invention as described herein provides a novel housing in the form of a toy “ghost” or the like, for the combination of disposable chemiluminescent elements and an integral LED lighting system in order to create a highly entertaining and unique novelty product.